UNEA 5.2 and UNEP@50
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Second part of the fifth session on the environment of the United Nations (UNEA 5.2), and special High-Level session to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of UNEP (UNEP@50)
February 28 – March 4, 2022. The second part of the fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, (UNEA 5.2), regarding the United Nations Environment Program, (UNEP), was held in Nairobi, (Kenya).
At the conclusion of the Assembly, on March 3 and 4, a special high-level session was held, with the theme "strengthening UNEP for the implementation of the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development", in order to celebrate of the fiftieth anniversary of the UNEP establishment, (UNEP@50).
The plenary meeting of the Assembly was chaired by UNEA President Espen Barth Eide – Minister of Climate and Environment of Norway, and was attended by numerous high-level representatives of United Nations bodies and many other international institutions.
The Italian delegation, formed by officials and experts from MASE, MAECI and the permanent representation of Italy at UNEP, was led by Min. Roberto Cingolani, by the Director General Alessandro Modiano, and by the Italian Ambassador in Kenya Alberto Pieri, as deputy heads of delegation, and by the diplomatic advisor Min. Giuseppe Manzo.
UNEA 5.2 Assembly final results testify the high value of this session. In fact, the Assembly adopted, by consensus, the "Ministerial declaration of the United Nations Environment Assembly at its fifth session", which deals with the general theme of the session, namely the strengthening of actions for nature to achieve sustainable development goals, and which reaffirms the founding principles of the international environment, starting from the Rio Declaration and the 2030 Agenda. The Declaration also recognizes the devastating effects of the pandemic on human health and society, and reiterates the need to adopt an integrated approach to nature conservation, especially for the post-pandemic recovery.
The Assembly also adopted 14 Resolutions and 1 Decision. The Resolutions touched upon topics of great importance, such as the sustainable management of lakes, the link between animal welfare, the environment and man; biodiversity and health; nitrogenous waste; sustainable infrastructure; socio-economic recovery from the effects of COVID-19; circular economy; sustainable management of mines and metals, the future governance of the Global Environmental Outlook, (GEO).
Through the Resolution "Science-Policy Panel to contribute further to the sound management of chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution", presented by Switzerland, the establishment of an independent inter-governmental scientific panel was proposed, for sustainable management of chemicals and waste and pollution prevention.
Furthermore, with the Resolution "End plastic pollution: Towards an international legally binding instrument", an inter-governmental negotiating committee was set up for the definition of a legally binding instrument for the fight against plastic. Such Committee will be operative from 2022 to 2024.
Finally, UNEP Secretariat organizational and administrative issues were addressed, including the definition of the UNEA sixth session which will take place from February 26 to March 1, 2024 at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi.
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